James Bond 007 Nightfire - Xbox

• ESRB Rating: Teen.
• Genre: Action/Adventure.

Product Description ------------------- It will be shaken, not stirred in James Bond 007: NightFire. Do you have what it takes to be the ultimate secret agent? Take part in Bond's most exciting adventure yet. This mission-based first-person shooter takes you on an international secret mission through the Alps, the South Pacific and even into outer space. You will run into some of Bond's famous enemies as well as some new characters in this original storyline. You get to use all of those Bond gadgets from the movies as well as get up close and personal with beautiful Bond women. .com ---- The latest installment in the James Bond series, 007: NightFire is a worthy sequel to 2001's outstanding Agent Under Fire. The game retains the overall look of its predecessor--including some familiar recurring characters and gadgets--but is designed to feel more like an actual Bond movie than a video game. After the familiar -barrel opening , you're introduced to the game via a precredits action sequence through the streets of Paris that leads into an original theme song with corresponding surreal imagery. The pacing of the game is natural, with each objective leading smoothly to the next. You even get to holster your PPK, don a tuxedo, and infiltrate a cocktail party at your adversary's mansion, making small talk with his henchmen, flirting with female party guests, and eavesdropping on secret conversations. Of course, within minutes you'll be shooting your way out of the place to make a daring escape in true 007 fashion, complete with Bond's trademark one-liners. The story line combines espionage, action, and innuendo in just the right proportions to evoke a real Bond-movie atmosphere. The game's overall playability is improved by some nice attention to detail, not the least of which is the addition of smarter and less predictable villains (they can hear you coming, they communicate with each other, and they're better at finding cover and sneaking up behind you). You also have more options (there are many ways to reach each objective, so the game is highly replayable) as well as a better arsenal of gadgets and weapons. And best of all, the multiplayer mode incorporates classic characters from many Bond movies. More than any other 007 game to date, NightFire was designed with the die-hard Bond fan clearly in mind. --Maile Bohlmann Pros: * Well-developed story line * Authentic Bond-movie atmosphere * Great graphics, sound, and music * Smart, crafty villains * Wide range of controller settings Cons: * Precredits action sequence is far too easy * They still don't have Bond's voice quite right (Maxwell Caulfield?!) * Fans of nonstop action might not appreciate the extended cutscenes Note: This review refers to the PlayStation2 version of this game.